Written by Eli Dean // Photo by Macy Cox
Harding University football will continue its season Saturday after defeating Grand Valley State (GSVU) 7-6 on Dec. 2. They will host Lenoir-Rhyne University (LNU) in the DII Football Championship semifinal at First Security Stadium on Dec. 9. Head coach Paul Simmons said that the game was like no other from start to finish.
“It was such a surreal experience,” Simmons said. “We as a team continued to stay in the fight, and we clawed and fought with the expectation that if we hung in there long enough that something good was going to happen, and that’s exactly how the day went.”
To get to Harding football’s second semifinal appearance in program history, the Bisons scored the only touchdown of the day with 3:52 remaining in the game. GVSU twice had opportunities on offense to get into field goal range to line up for a potential game-winning kick but were unable to get past the resilient Bison defense that gave them fits all day. Simmons called the performance the greatest defensive performance in school history and credited the values instilled in the team by coaching as well as the ability for the players to stick together and believe in each other the whole way through.
“It was an amazing testament to the value of persistence to play like that all game against such an incredible offense,” Simmons said. “The defense did what they had to do to keep us in the game. It was a great showing of belief that our players displayed, and the effort was unbelievable and very special.”
This was the first game since 2003 in which an opponent held GSVU without a touchdown for the entirety of a game. Sophomore defensive back Ty Dugger said that the process never changed going into the week against one of the most successful DII football programs in history.
“Our formula doesn’t change for anybody, and we prepare for everyone the same,” Dugger said. “Many of our guys play their best ball whenever it matters most, and that’s really been showing up recently when we needed it most.”
As for the semifinal on Saturday, Dugger said he expects the fans to be loud and ready for the greatest game in Harding football history.
“I expect this to be the biggest and loudest fan base we’ve had all year, which is saying something,” Dugger said. “The fans have been amazing all year long. Since these are the highest stakes yet, I know the fans will come out and be loud, regardless of weather.”
The semifinal matchup will be televised on ESPN+, and radio broadcasted locally on KVHU 95.3 FM. Kickoff is at 11 a.m., with the winner playing either Kutztown University or Colorado School of Mines in the National Championship in McKinney, Texas. None of the four remaining teams have ever won a national championship, and the Bisons are looking for their first appearance in the National Championship in program history.
